Specialist tour operator Steppes Travel employs passionate people who have a wealth of experience travelling in the Sultanate of Oman. Whether you are seeking a thrilling family holiday or a luxurious sojourn beside warm waters, Steppes can use its first-hand knowledge to conjure the ideal tailor-made trip.

There are a number of memorable places and experiences and Steppes can combine these into a memorable holiday.

One is the Musandam Peninsula, separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates. Purple-tinged cliffs plunge into vivid blue waters in a series of fjord-like inlets and bays – fantasy territory for a sailing trip, especially on a traditional dhow. As likely as not, dolphins will play in your wake. The diving here is exceptional too.

Another must-do is to spend at least one night camping under the stars. This is possible in several dramatic locations, though the Wahiba Sands are hard to resist. At dusk, the white sands look like snow and once the sun has set, dinner round the campfire is followed by gazing at the heavens. An absence of light pollution makes this a real spectacle.

Steppes offers a luxury camping experience that showcases the best of Oman, including diverse scenery, forts, 3,000-year-old tombs, souks and a camel race. Each night is spent in the embrace of the landscape, but in authentic Bedouin tents complete with comfortable beds with proper mattresses and crisp cotton bedding.

Some kind of blue: spend a day on Oman's crystal clear watersCredit:
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The Al Hajar mountains curl around the top of Oman, and rising above all the other peaks is the 9,800ft Jebel Shams. From the peak – accessible by jeep – there are incredible views down into what is known as the Grand Canyon of Arabia.

At least a couple of days should be spent in Muscat. In contrast the futuristic skylines of the nearby Emirates, much of the capital’s original architecture has been carefully preserved. Two old forts stand guard over the city, and within its walls you will find the Royal Opera House, an atmospheric souk and the exquisite Grand Mosque. The immense prayer carpet inside the mosque took hundreds of women four years to weave.

While there, you could privately charter a boat to spend the day snorkelling or diving in the glorious reefs along the coast. Alternatively, there are boat excursions to go dolphin or whale watching, or you could sit back and relax on a traditional dhow cruise. From Salalah, southern Oman, you could also privately charter a boat or join a tour to see the whales and dolphins of the Arabian sea.

Beyond the capital city, other forts well worth visiting include Nakhal, not too far from Muscat. Here you can see where boiling honey was poured to repel invaders. The enormous construction at Nizwa, further across the mountains, has a distinctive round tower, while nearby Bahla is an impressive fort on which restoration was recently completed; it dates back two millennia.

Between the mountains and the north-east coast are numerous wadis – deep river beds that fill with water only after rain. In some idyllic spots there are crystal pools in which you can swim; otherwise the wadis and their fascinating rock formations can be explored on a camel or a quad bike.

If much of Oman’s allure sounds adventurous, it is worth remembering that the country has attracted the world’s leading hotel groups, so supreme comfort and style are on the menu

If you’re travelling for a longer period, you could venture into the evocatively named Empty Quarter in the south-west, where towering dunes shimmer in the sun and wind. It is here that satellite images detected what some claim to be Ubar, the “Atlantis of the Sands”, a lost city that was investigated by explorer Ranulph Fiennes.

If much of Oman’s allure sounds adventurous, it is worth remembering that the country has attracted the world’s leading hotel groups, so supreme comfort and style are on the menu as well as evocative desert adventures.

Steppes has a great October half-term offer for families at the five-star Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, which is a short, chauffeured transfer from Muscat. This beautiful resort has an “oasis” formed of swimming pools and date palms, and the five-night holiday includes a dolphin-watching trip, snorkelling and a guided city tour.

As with all Steppes holidays, you have the reassurance of financial protection and expert local assistance.

Another family itinerary based at the Shangri La incorporates a night spent camping in the desert, the chance to see turtles nesting on the beach, swimming in natural wadi pools and a trip to Nizwa fort.

Couples on a romantic break will love Steppes’ six-night indulgence at the impeccable Six Senses Zighy Bay on the Musandam Peninsula. The offer for stays between 1 June to 30 September 2016 includes accommodation in a private villa with pool, paragliding, a mountain hike, kayaking tour and various spa treatments.

Stimulating experiences or blissful serenity… Oman has both in abundance, with a deep foundation of generous hospitality.